1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a substrate conveyance method and a substrate processing apparatus which performs the conveyance of a substrate.
2. Description of the Background Art
There have been known various types of substrate processing apparatuses, which apply processing to a substrate. For example, a substrate processing apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open 2010-45214 is configured such that an indexer block where non-processed substrates and processed substrates are stacked and a processing block where processing such as cleaning or the like is applied to substrates are connected with each other with a substrate reversing unit and a substrate placing part sandwiched therebetween. A conveyance robot dedicated to each block is arranged at each of the indexer blocks and each of the processing blocks.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open 2010-45214, an indexer block conveyance robot (main robot) provided with two arms which are independently driven in an extending and retracting manner is disclosed. A substrate holding hand is mounted on distal ends of these two respective arms, and the substrate holding hand is configured to hold two substrates and hence, the conveyance robot can convey four substrates in total.
However, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open 2010-45214 completely fails to disclose at which timing and to which processing unit the main robot should get access in performing a series of substrate processing. Accordingly, in carrying out a series of substrate processing, a conveyance schedule of each substrate cannot be properly set corresponding to a situation.